Do you think federal service will ever be a desirable or stable career path again?

[Anonymous]

Only stay….if you need significant health insurance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course. Just not with this administration.

The administration is diseased. Working for them is like trying to cook with rotting food. It’s just going to taste like shit until you can throw it all away and find a better supplier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand then question:

Do you think federal service will ever be a desirable or stable career path again?

WAS IT EVER?

Yes, it was and is - the current moment notwithstanding. Not desirable to everyone but definitely appealing to many. I’m a former fed, DH current fed and it’s been a great ride.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. I am in my early 30s and going back to school so I will never have to work in a govt. adjacent field again. I’ve never been a fed but I literally want nothing to do with govt. contracting, etc.

Curious, back for what?

[Anonymous]

In addition to all of the crazy stuff happening now I expect pay and benefits to be significantly eroded over the next 3 years starting with a 1% raise next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current administration wants to eliminate the "my job is guaranteed safe" mentality that is common in the civil service. They want people in the civil service who are there despite the job not being safe or guaranteed.

I took the fork. My new private sector job is actually very safe. It also offers 9x the salary I made in gov. The downside is that I’m now working evil, not good— but gov now is also evil, so I didn’t lose anything.

Can you say how you increased your salary nine-fold???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only stay….if you need significant health insurance

Oh they’re screwing with that too, don’t worry.

I’m mid-forties with 18 years of service behind me and looking at the edge of a cliff, with kids going to college in a couple of years. If I can keep my job I will but it’s pretty terrible. I used to love going to work. Now it’s truly meaningless and uncertain. Why? What’s the point of this race to the bottom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only stay….if you need significant health insurance

Oh they’re screwing with that too, don’t worry.

I’m mid-forties with 18 years of service behind me and looking at the edge of a cliff, with kids going to college in a couple of years. If I can keep my job I will but it’s pretty terrible. I used to love going to work. Now it’s truly meaningless and uncertain. Why? What’s the point of this race to the bottom?

+1, except almost 20 years in. I used to do real work that helped people. Now I spend my days answering data calls about services in languages other than English. When I’m not furloughed, that is.

[Anonymous]

Again? Yes. Soon? No.

Two days ago the WH issued this Executive Order: "ENSURING CONTINUED ACCOUNTABILITY IN FEDERAL HIRING"

Here's one relevant section: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/10/ensuring-continued-accountability-in-federal-hiring/

(b) Strategic Hiring Committees. Within 30 days of the date of this order, each agency head shall establish a Strategic Hiring Committee to approve the creation or filling, as applicable, of each vacancy within their agency. The Strategic Hiring Committee shall include the deputy agency head and the chief of staff to the agency head, along with such other senior officials as the agency head may designate. The Strategic Hiring Committee shall ensure that agency hiring is consistent with the national interest, agency needs, and the priorities of my Administration. Agency Strategic Hiring Committees shall provide written notice of approved hires to OPM following the approval of such hires.

-So, they are only going to hire loyalists going forward - as much as possible anyway - and what do you think happens next?

If you have an option to leave now and build a career elsewhere I would very, very seriously consider it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current administration wants to eliminate the "my job is guaranteed safe" mentality that is common in the civil service. They want people in the civil service who are there despite the job not being safe or guaranteed.

I took the fork. My new private sector job is actually very safe. It also offers 9x the salary I made in gov. The downside is that I’m now working evil, not good— but gov now is also evil, so I didn’t lose anything.

Can you say how you increased your salary nine-fold???

NP but my sister did. She was a USAID contractor handling logistics for food aid to starving children. Now she works for Meta making their products more addictive. There is way more money in that! (Even if she did have to spend a lot of it on a house in California.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current administration wants to eliminate the "my job is guaranteed safe" mentality that is common in the civil service. They want people in the civil service who are there despite the job not being safe or guaranteed.

Cool well maybe they should start with letting us fire under performers without jumping through a zillion hoops and taking 6 months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Current administration wants to eliminate the "my job is guaranteed safe" mentality that is common in the civil service. They want people in the civil service who are there despite the job not being safe or guaranteed.

Cool well maybe they should start with letting us fire under performers without jumping through a zillion hoops and taking 6 months.

Amen. This is such a joke. They don’t care about accountability, they just want empty seats to fill with their friends. New boss, same as the old boss, but worse

[Anonymous]

Yes, iff they continue to offer pension. This can be turned around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. I am in my early 30s and going back to school so I will never have to work in a govt. adjacent field again. I’ve never been a fed but I literally want nothing to do with govt. contracting, etc.

Curious, back for what?

I am getting a graduate certificate in accounting and plan to get my CPA. Ironically, I never considered myself good at math but one of my favorite parts of my work at a BAH-esque firm was doing the budgets/financial planning and invoicing for my projects. I figure if I don’t like it I can always shift course. I’ve never really cared for my job and figure I’m young enough to pivot. I’m staying open minded.

[Anonymous]

No will never be the same even if the Dems take house (which I hoping for) and restore things. When a "doubt, uncertainty, instability" is introduced as Trump has done with fed service, then one seeking stability, security comfort in Fed service will always keep in back of their mind for future employment. Sadly, there is nothing preventing a "future" Trump from wrecking matters again. Sadly, this essentially means that a percentage of the brightest and best will no longer want to seek fed service. Conversely, the incompetent, unskilled will occupy most federal jobs. I'm not a Fed, but in the past I have considered a fed position for stability, etc but I can assure I will never consider a fed job again. You will have zero security, low pay and can get riffed anytime for any reason. Best to be on the private side earning more $$